Jamaican busted at JFK airport with cocaine in patties

NEW YORK, United States (CMC) — The United States law enforcement officials have arrested a Jamaican with cocaine in beef patties at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport.

The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency says officers intercepted Chantal Alecia Bedward on arrival on a flight from Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday.

During her examination, CBP officers discovered what appeared to be a box of Jamaican beef patties.

CBP said officers escorted Bedward to a private search room where the box of beef patties was opened, revealing 12 duct-taped packages.

The packages were probed producing a white powder that tested positive for cocaine, CBP said, adding that Bedward was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

She now faces United States federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office in the US Eastern District Court of New York.

The approximate gross weight of cocaine seized was four pounds. The seized narcotic has a street value of US$70,000, CBP said.

“This seizure demonstrates the vigilance and dedication demonstrated daily by CBP officers at JFK, in keeping these prohibited and dangerous narcotics off the streets of our communities,” said Robert E Perez, director, field operations in New York for CBP.